Catamaran

ABSTRACT

A catamaran is made with two hollow plastic hulls. Each hull consists of two vacuum formed plastic sheets heat sealed together at a vertical peripheral flange. The flange is enlarged on the lower side of the hull to define a keel. A load supporting framework is mounted on the hulls.

United States Patent Woodrich Mar. 18, 1975 CATAMARAN [56] ReferencesCited [75] Inventor: Kenneth H. Woodrich, Rochester, UNITED STATESPATENTS i 1.704.713 3/1929 snap, Jr. ll4/66.5 r

[73] Assignee: Woodall Industries Inc., Detroit, Mich.

[22] Filed: Sept. 6, 1973 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix AssistantExaminer-Sherman D. Basinger [2!] Appl 394639 Attorney, Agent, orFirmHarness, Dickey & Pierce Related US. Application Data [62] Divisionof Ser. No. 182,743, Sept. 22, 1971, Par. B R C 317961175 A catamaran ismade with two hollow plastic hulls. Each hull consists of two vacuumformed plastic [52] US. Cl. ..1 114/61, 114/39 Sheets heat Sealedtogether at a vertical peripheral [5 1] Cl B63b 9/00 9/041 86% l/loflange. The flange is enlarged on the lower side of the [58] Field ofSearch 114/39, 61, 66.5 F, 66.5 H,

l14/0.56; 9/1 T, 11 R, 2 S, 2 A,

hull to define a keel. A load supporting framework is mounted on thehulls.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED NARI 8 I975 Sam. 0F 4 CATAMARAN IThis is a division of application Ser. No. 182,743, filed Sept. 22, l97lnow U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,175.

SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to a catamaran andto a hull which is particularly adapted for use in a catamaran. Thecatamaran of the present invention is particularly distinguished by itsutilization of relatively inexpensive light-weight hollow plastic hulls.The hulls of the present invention incorporate integral keels andsupport a light-weight metal platform on which a canvas or other loadsupporting surface is held. The catamaran of the present invention isparticularly designed for manufacture in relatively small or compactsizes and is distinguished by simplicity of design, its lightness ofweight and the multiple functions which its various structuralcomponents serve.

The catamaran hull is desirably made from two vacuum formed plasticsheets which are heat sealed or otherwise joined at peripheral flangesthereof. The flange is arranged in a generally vertical plane andperforms several different functions. The flange is. enlarged on theunderside of the hull to define a keel or the like while hand holes areformed in the flange at the top of the hull to facilitate carrying thecatamaran. The vertical orientation of the flange also gives the hull adesired vertical stiffness. The flange is also used as a point ofattachment for rudder brackets. The two sheets of each hull define awater tight compartment which gives the boat its buoyancy and renders itincapable of being swamped. The supporting framework on which theoccupants sit is connected to the hulls in a unique manner which assuresthe integrity and water tightness of the hulls. Four stanchions of thesupporting framework comprise the only points of attachment of theframework to the hulls. The framework cooperates with the hulls toafford substantial rigidity to the entire structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS structure illustrated in FIG. 3, takenalong the lines 5-5, 6-6 and 77 thereof, respectively; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 7, takenalong the line 88 thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1 to 4illustrate the overall shape of the catamaran of the present inventionwhich will be seen to be constructed with two identical hulls 10. Theshape of each hull 10 is best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 from which it willbe noted that each hull is made from two formed plastic sheets 12 and14. The manufacture of the hull 10 is desirably accomplished with theuse of the method and apparatus described in US. Pat. Nos. 3,242,245 and3,250,660. The material from which the hulls 10 are formed mayconstitute polyethylene resin. The sheets 12 and 14 are originally in aplanar configuration, the central portions thereof being vacuum formed.Portions of the sheets 12 and 14 which are not deformed out of theirplanar shape are heat sealed together to define peripheral flanges 16aand 16b of the sheets 12 and 14, respectively. The flanges 16a and 16bare heat sealed together to define a single flange which will hereafterbe referred to as the flange 16. A portion of the flange 16 on theunderside of the hull is enlarged to define a keel 18. As used herein,the expression keel is intended to refer generically to any relativelythen downward projection on the underside of the hull which providesresistance against leeward movement of the hull.

It will be seen that portions of the sheets 12 and 14 bounded by theflange 16 are deformed outwardly away from one another into ahydrodynamically desir able configuration defining a hollow water tightcompartment 20. Portions of the flange 16 on the upper surface of eachhull are shaped to define a front handle 22 and a rear handle 24. Asseen in FIG. 6, with respect to the handle 24, each handle is ofenlarged hollow configuration and is separated from the main portion ofthe hull 20 by a hand hole 26. Subsequent to formation of the hull,portions of the flange 16 are cut or ground away adjacent a frontmounting pad 28 and a rear mounting pad 30 thereof. Each of the mountingpads 28 and 30 has a central portion thereof cut away to define a holeor opening 32 (FIG. 8).

The hulls 10 are positioned in laterally spaced parallel relationshipand are held in that relationship by a framework which includes a rightfront stanchion 34, a right rear stanchion 36, a left front stanchion 38and a left rear stanchion 40. The front stanchions 34 and 38 areconnected by an upper front cross bar 42 and a lower front cross bar 44,both of tubular shape. The cross bars 42 and 44 are parallel to oneanother, with the lower front cross bar 44 being positioned beneath andslightly forwardly of the upper cross bar 42. The rear stanchions 36 and40 are connected by an upper rear cross bar 46 and a lower rear crossbar 48, both of tubular shape. The lower rear cross bar 48 is parallelto the upper cross bar 46, is spaced below the upper cross bar 46 and ispositioned slightly rearwardly of the upper cross bar 46. The stanchions34 and 40 are identical to one another while the stanchions 36 and 38are identical to one another, the front stanchions being of mirror imageconfiguration and the rear stanchions being of mirror imageconfiguration. Tubular longitudinal frame members 50 connect the frontand rear stanchions on each side of the boat and are generally coplanarwith the upper cross bars 42 and 46. It will be seen that each stanchion34, 36, 38 and 40 is provided with a cap 51 (FIG. 7) which is fastenedthereon to clamp the longitudinal frame members 50 and upper cross bars42 and 46 respectively. The opposite ends of the lower cross bars 44 and48 are clamped to their respective stanchions by integral clampingportions on said stanchions which are representatively identified at 53in FIG. 1.

The lower front cross bar 44 carries a mast base 52 at its mid-length.The upper front cross bar 42 is provided with a mast supporting bracket54 which projects forwardly therefrom in a position in generallyvertical alignment with the mast base 52. The base 52 and bracket 54comprise the sole means of support of a mast 62 which is thus maintainedin a desired vertical attitude. The arrangement is such that the mast 62may be easily disassembled.

The various cross members 42, 44, 46 and 48, as well as the longitudinalframe member 50 are preferably made from tubing of aluminum or otherlight weight materials. The stanchions 34 to 40 are desirably cast fromaluminum or other light weight metal. The connection of the stanchions34, 36, 38 and 40 to the hulls in the manner to be described affords theentire vessel with a desired degree of rigidity. The hulls 10 take theplace of lower longitudinal frame members on the sides of the vessel andcooperate with the various cross members and longitudinal frame membersto resist relative movement of the said hulls.

The catamaran is completed by various gear, the utility of which will bereadily apparent to those familiar with sailing craft. A canvas seat orthe like 56 is held taut by a rope 58 wrapped around the longitudinalframe members 50 and the upper cross members 42 and 46. A lateen sailassembly 60 is mounted on the mast 62 and is held in a raised positionthereon by a halyard 70. A main sheet 72 is connected at one end thereofto the upper rear cross bar 46 and passes through pulleys 74 connectedto the sail assembly 60 and upper rear cross bar 46. A rudder bracket 76is affixed to the flange 16 at the rear end of each hull 10 and servesto support a rudder 78 for pivotal movement about a vertical axis. Eachrudder is provided with a pivoting tiller 80. A tiller bar 82 is looselyconnected to the forward ends of each of the two tillers 80 in asuitable location for it to be grasped by a person sitting on the seat56.

The manner of connection of the stanchions 34, 36, 38 and 40 to thehulls 10 is the same in each case and is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 withreference to the stanchion 36. A resilient rubber gasket 84 ispositioned on the pad 30 (or 28) in surrounding relationship to the hole32. A pair of drilled and tapped mounting plates 86 of generallyU-shaped configuration are positioned on the inner surface of themounting pad 30 and on opposite sides of the hole 32. They are held inthis position by means of rivets 88 which extend through the plates 86and the wall of the pad 30. A plurality of screws 90 are fitted througha solid base portion 94 of the stanchion 36 which rests on the gasket84. The screws 90 pass through the mounting pad 30 and are threaded intothe mounting plates 86. Thus, the pad 30 is tightly gripped between themounting plates 86 and the base portion 94 of the stanchion. The gasket84 is squeezed tightly against the mounting pad and cooperates with thestanchion 36 to seal the hole 32 against the entry of water. The hole 32is necessary for the insertion of the mounting plates 86 into theinterior of the hull.

What is claimed is:

1. A catamaran comprising a pair of hollow plastic hulls each having amounting portion provided with an opening therein, a stanchion mountedon each of said mounting portions over the opening thereof, mountingplate means disposed against the interior ofeach of said hulls ingenerally surrounding relation to said opening, said mounting platemeans being insertable into said hulls through said openings, andfastening means extending between said stanchions and said mountingplate means in locations spaced around said opening to secure saidstanchions to said mounting portions, said stanchions being operable toclose said openings and being in sealed relation to said mountingportions around the openings thereof.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 including gasket means positionedbetween said stanchions and said mounting portions.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 including separate fastenersoperable to hold said mounting plate means to the interior of saidmounting portions.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which said mounting plate meansare provided with threaded openings and in which said fastening meanscomprise screws passing through said stanchions and threaded into saidthreaded openings.

1. A catamaran comprising a pair of hollow plastic hulls each having amounting portion provided with an opening therein, a stanchion mountedon each of said mounting portions over the opening thereof, mountingplate means disposed against the interior of each of said hulls ingenerally surrounding relation to said opening, said mounting platemeans being insertable into said hulls through said openings, andfastening means extending between said stanchions and said mountingplate means in locations spaced around said opening to secure saidstanchions to said mounting portions, said stanchions being operable toclose said openings and being in sealed relation to said mountingportions around the openings thereof.
 2. The structure set forth inclaim 1 including gasket means positioned between said stanchions andsaid mounting portions.
 3. The structure set forth in claim 1 includingseparate fasteners operable to hold said mounting plate means to theinterior of said mounting portions.
 4. The structure set forth in claim1 in which said mounting plate means are provided with threaded openingsand in which said fastening means comprise screws passing through saidstanchions and threaded into said threaded openings.